The Ministry of Environment is currently working on a National Wetlands Policy which, among other things, will allow for a more coordinated and effective control of activities and development taking place in areas around wetlands.

This was revealed by environment minister Ronny Jumeau in the National Assembly on Tuesday May 20, after he had been asked by Grand Anse Mahe MNA Waven William to give a statement on his ministry's plan to maintain and protect rivers and wetlands in the country.

Minister Jumeau said in preparation of the new wetlands policy, the Wetlands Unit in the ministry last year met with officials from the Ministry of Local Government, Land Transport Division and District Administrations' representatives, and carried out visits to the most affected wetland areas on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue.

According to the minister, 80 sites with problems related to drainage, flooding, pollution, erosion and public danger had been identified.

Minister Jumeau also said that, given the seriousness of the situation, the ministry did not intend to wait for the finalisation of the new policy for it to take actions. In the meantime, he said, the Unit has adopted two methods to address the problems of coastal drainage and the cleaning of wetlands. One includes the use of the big pipes left behind by dredger Vesalius to pump debris and clean those areas and the other is the hosting of a workshop for all organisations concerned about the socio-economic and environment importance of wetlands and the need to protect and use them in a sustainable manner.

Minister Jumeau noted that despite the good co-ordination between the Wetlands Unit and other organisations in dealing with such problems as flooding or blocked drainage, the assistance of private contractors will eventually have to be sought given the number of wetland areas to be maintained in the country.

As an example of such partnership, Minister Jumeau said his ministry will start with the Sweet Escott marsh at Anse Royale whereby, in exchange for cleaning the area, the private contractor would be able to keep the sand and gravels extracted in the process. This, according to the minister, will be done under the strict supervision of the Wetlands Unit and the Ministry of Land Use and Habitat (MLUH).

Minister Jumeau said that as part of efforts to better ensure the protection of wetlands from man-made pollution, a new system called community policing of environment resources would be introduced, whereby people at district level would be given certain incentives to help with the enforcement of the regulations.

He said the ministry was also encouraging more groups to help in the upkeep of wetland areas.

There was also a need to intensify the ministry's sensitisation programme at school level and also among members of the public to alter the negative perception they had about marshes, the minister added.

With regard to what his ministry was doing in the way of protection of rivers, Minister Jumeau said his ministry was deeply concerned about the growing number of cases where people were misusing rivers as dumping sites, hence contributing to pollution.

The ministry, he said, as well as the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) and the ministries of Health and Land Use & Habitat, should step up their vigilance with regard this matter. Already, Minister Jumeau revealed, the environment ministry was working with the Attorney General's office to identify certain offences for prosecution.

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